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Preferences for formal and traditional sources of childbirth and postnatal care among women in rural Africa: A systematic review.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:The underutilization of formal, evidence-based maternal health services continues to contribute to poor maternal outcomes among women living in rural Africa. Women's choice of the type of maternal care they receive strongly influences their utilization of maternal health services. There is therefore a need to understand rural women's preferred choices to help set priorities for initiatives attempting to make formal maternal care more responsive to women's needs. The aim of this review was to explore and identify women's preferences for different sources of childbirth and postnatal care and the factors that contribute to these preferences. METHODS:A systematic literature search was conducted using the Ovid Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Global Health databases. Thirty-seven studies that elicited women's preferences for childbirth and postnatal care using qualitative methods were included in the review. A narrative synthesis was conducted to collate study findings and to report on patterns identified across findings. RESULTS:During the intrapartum period, preferences varied across communities, with some studies reporting preferences for traditional childbirth with traditional care-takers, and others reporting preferences for a formal facility-based childbirth with health professionals. During the postpartum period, the majority of relevant studies reported a preference for traditional postnatal services involving traditional rituals and customs. The factors that influenced the reported preferences were related to the perceived need for formal or traditional care providers, accessibility to maternal care, and cultural and religious norms. CONCLUSION:Review findings identified a variety of preferences for sources of maternal care from intrapartum to postpartum. Future interventions aiming to improve access and utilization of evidence-based maternal healthcare services across rural Africa should first identify major challenges and priority needs of target populations and communities through formative research. Evidence-based services that meet rural women's specific needs and expectations will increase the utilization of formal care and ultimately improve maternal outcomes across rural Africa.

SUBMITTER: Fantaye AW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6760778 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Preferences for formal and traditional sources of childbirth and postnatal care among women in rural Africa: A systematic review.

Fantaye Arone Wondwossen AW Gunawardena Nathali N Yaya Sanni S

PloS one 20190925 9

<h4>Background</h4>The underutilization of formal, evidence-based maternal health services continues to contribute to poor maternal outcomes among women living in rural Africa. Women's choice of the type of maternal care they receive strongly influences their utilization of maternal health services. There is therefore a need to understand rural women's preferred choices to help set priorities for initiatives attempting to make formal maternal care more responsive to women's needs. The aim of thi ...[more]

PMID: 31553722

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Project description:BackgroundThere is broad agreement that antenatal care (ANC) interventions, skilled attendance at birth and management of complications arising after delivery are key strategies that can tackle the high burden of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya, utilisation rate of these services has remained low despite a government policy on free maternal care. The present study sought to understand what factors are leading to the low healthcare seeking during pregnancy, child birth and postnatal period in Siaya County in Kenya.MethodsSix Focus Group Discussions were conducted with 50 women attending ANC in 6 public primary healthcare facilities. Participants were drawn from a sample of 200 women who were eligible participants in a Conditional Cash Transfer project aimed at increasing utilization of healthcare services during pregnancy and postnatal period. Interviews were conducted at the health facilities, recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsMultiple factors beyond the commonly reported distance to health facility and lack of transportation and finances explained the low utilization of services. Emergent themes included a lack of understanding of the role of ANC beyond the treatment of regular ailments. Women with no complicated pregnancies therefore missed or went in late for the visits. A missed health visit contributed to future missed visits, not just for ANC but also for facility delivery and postnatal care. The underlying cause of this relationship was a fear of reprimand from the health staff and denial of care. The negative attitude of the health workers explained the pervasive fear expressed by the participants, as well as being on its own a reason for not making the visits. The effect was not just on the woman with the negative experience, but spiraled and affected the decision of other women and their social networks.ConclusionsThe complexity of the barriers to healthcare visits implies that narrow focused solutions are unlikely to succeed. Instead, there should broad-based solutions that focus on the entire continuum of maternal care with a special focus on ANC. There is an urgent need to shift the negative attitude of healthcare workers towards their clients.

Project description:BackgroundMaternal mortality is high in Ghana, averaging 310 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017. This is partly due to inadequate postnatal care especially among rural communities. Ghana can avert the high maternal deaths if women meet the World Health Organisation's recommended early postnatal care check-up. Despite the association between geographical location and postnatal care utilisation, no study has been done on determinants of postnatal care among rural residents in Ghana. Therefore, this study determined the prevalence and correlates of postnatal care utilization among women in rural Ghana.MethodsThe study utilised women's file of the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). Following descriptive computation of the prevalence, binary logistic regression was fitted to assess correlates of postnatal care at 95% confidence interval. The results were presented in adjusted odds ratio (AOR). Any AOR less than 1 was interpreted as reduced likelihood of PNC attendance whilst AOR above 1 depicted otherwise. All analyses were done using Stata version 14.0.ResultsThe study revealed that 74% of the rural women had postnatal care. At the inferential level, women residing in Savanna zone had higher odds of postnatal care compared to those in the Coastal zone [AOR = 1.80, CI = 1.023-3.159], just as among the Guan women as compared to the Akan [AOR = 7.15, CI = 1.602-31.935]. Women who were working were more probable to utilise postnatal care compared to those not working [AOR = 1.45, CI = 1.015-2.060]. Those who considered distance as unproblematic were more likely to utilise postnatal care compared to those who considered distance as problematic [AOR = 1.63, CI = 1.239-2.145].ConclusionsThe study showed that ethnicity, ecological zone, occupation and distance to health facility predict postnatal care utilisation among rural residents of Ghana. The study points to the need for government to increase maternal healthcare facilities in rural settings in order to reduce the distance covered by women in seeking postnatal care.

Project description:Background: Mothers and their newborns are vulnerable to threats to their health and survival during the postnatal period. Full postnatal care (PNC) uptake decreases maternal deaths and is also essential for first 1,000 days of newborn's life, but PNC usage is usually inadequate in rural areas. Little is known about the full PNC utilization among rural Myanmar women. This study, therefore, aimed to study the situation of the utilization of full PNC and examine its determinants. Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in selected villages of the Magway Region, Myanmar. A total of 500 married women who had children aged under 2 years were selected using multistage cluster sampling and interviewed with semi-structured questionnaires. The determinants of full PNC usage were identified by generalized estimating equation (GEE) under a logistic regression framework. Results: Among 500 rural women, around a quarter (25.20%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 21.58-29.21%) utilized full PNC. Multivariable analysis revealed that factors associated with full PNC usage included mothers attaining educational level of secondary or higher (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 2.16; 95% CI, 1.18-3.94), belonging to higher income level (AOR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.11-3.68), having male involvement (AOR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.02-4.69), being of low birth order (i.e. the first birth) (AOR, 3.26; 95% CI, 1.80-5.91), and having awareness of postnatal danger signs (AOR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.15-3.83). Moreover, the presence of misconceptions on postnatal practice was identified as a strong barrier to adequate PNC usage (AOR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.04-0.36). Conclusion: Most of the rural women practiced inadequate PNC in Myanmar. Maternal healthcare services at rural areas should be intensively promoted, particularly among women who had high birth order (greater number of births). Health education regarding perinatal misconceptions and danger signs, and benefits of full PNC services usage should be emphasized and urgently extended.

Project description:IntroductionTrust of women and families toward health institutions has led to increased use of their services for childbirth. Whilst unpleasant experience of care during childbirth will halt this achievement and have adverse consequences. We examined the experience of women regarding the care received during childbirth in health institutions in Nepal.MethodA prospective cohort study conducted in 11 hospitals in Nepal for a period of 18 months. Using a semi-structured questionnaire based on the typology of mistreatment during childbirth, information on childbirth experience was gathered from women (n = 62,926) at the time of discharge. Using those variables, principal component analysis was conducted to create a single mistreatment index. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the association of the mistreatment index with sociodemographic, obstetric and newborn characteristics.ResultA total of 62,926 women were consented and enrolled in the study. Of those women, 84.3% had no opportunity to discuss any concerns, 80.4% were not adequately informed before providing care, and 1.5% of them were refused for care due to inability to pay. According to multivariate regression analysis, women 35 years or older (β, - 0.3587; p-value, 0.000) or 30-34 years old (β,- 0.38013; p-value, 0.000) were less likely to be mistreated compared to women aged 18 years or younger. Women from a relatively disadvantaged (Dalit) ethnic group were more likely to be mistreated (β, 0.29596; p-value, 0.000) compared to a relatively advantaged (Chettri) ethnic group. Newborns who were born preterm (β, - 0.05988; p-value, 0.000) were less likely to be mistreated than those born at term.ConclusionThe study reports high rate of some categories of mistreatment of women during childbirth. Women from disadvantaged ethnic group, young women, and term newborns are at higher risk of mistreatment. Strengthening health system and improving health workers' readiness and response will be key in experience respectful care during childbirth.

Project description:BackgroundThe World Health Organisation recommends that all mothers seek postnatal care (PNC) within the first two months after childbirth. This study examined PNC utilisation for babies within the first two months after childbirth.MethodsWe used data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) (2018-2020) of eleven countries in SSA. Descriptive and a multivariate analysis were carried out, and presented in adjusted odds ratios. The explanatory variables included: age, place of residence, level of formal education, wealth quintile, antenatal care visits, marital status, frequency of watching TV, listening to radio and reading newspaper, getting permission to go medical help for self, getting money needed for treatment, and distance to facility.ResultsPNC utilisation was 37.5% and 33% in urban and rural residences, respectively. Higher level of education (Urban: AOR = 1.39, CI = 1.25, 1.56; Rural: AOR = 1.31, CI = 1.10, 1.58), 4 or more ANC visits (Urban: AOR = 1.32, CI = 1.23, 1.40; Rural: AOR = 1.49, CI = 1.43, 1.56 0.86), requiring permission to go to the health facility (Urban: AOR = 0.67, CI = 0.61, 0.74; Rural: AOR = 0.86, CI = 0.81, 0.91), listening to the radio at least once a week (Urban: AOR = 1.32, CI = 1.23, 1.41; Rural: AOR = 0.86, CI = 0.77, 0.95), and watching television at least once a week (Urban: AOR = 1.11, CI = 1.03, 1.21; Rural: AOR = 1.15, CI = 1.07, 1.24) were significantly associated with PNC service utilisation in both rural and urban areas. However, belonging to a richer wealth status (AOR = 1.11, CI = 1.02, 1.20) and having a problem with distance (AOR = 1.13, CI = 1.07, 1.18) were significant in only rural areas, while having a problem with money for treatment was significant only in urban areas (AOR = 1.15, CI = 1.08, 1.23).ConclusionIn this study, we conclude that the PNC service utilisation within the first 2 months after delivery was low across rural and urban residences. There is, therefore, a need for SSA countries to develop population tailored interventions such as advocacy and health education targeted at women with no formal education in both rural and urban areas. Our study also suggests that SSA countries must intensify radio programs and advertisements on the health benefits of PNC to improve maternal and child health.

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Preferences for formal and traditional sources of childbirth and postnatal care among women in rural Africa: A systematic review.

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Preferences for formal and traditional sources of childbirth and postnatal care among women in rural Africa: A systematic review.

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